County Building Permits
Hernando County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Hernando County, Florida. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All properties within unincorporated Hernando County, excluding properties within Brooksville city limits.
- Department
- Hernando County Building Division
- Address
- 789 Providence Boulevard, Brooksville, FL 34601
- Phone
- 352-754-4050
- bldg@hernandocounty.us
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Tyler EnerGov • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the property is in unincorporated Hernando County and not inside Brooksville city jurisdiction.
- Gather the permit application, project description, valuation, contractor or owner-builder information, site details, plans, and trade information required for the permit type.
- Submit through the county Civic Access portal, or use the county's accepted paper submission path where applicable.
- Record and post the Notice of Commencement before the first inspection when Florida law requires it.
- Respond to plan review comments and provide product approvals, engineering, floodplain, zoning, septic, or other supporting documents as applicable.
- Pay fees and obtain permit issuance before starting work.
- Schedule inspections and obtain final approval or certificate of occupancy/completion before use or occupancy.
Typical processing time: Varies by project complexity; initial residential reviews generally take 10 working days.
General Requirements
A building permit is required for all regulated work including electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems, signs, wells, pools, furnaces, boilers, heaters, tanks, air conditioners, and other work specified in the Florida Building Code.
Required Documents
- Building permit application
- Project plans and site details
- Project valuation
- Contractor license information
- Trade contractor information
- Owner-builder disclosure/affidavit where applicable
- Notice of Commencement when required
- Product approvals
- Permit validity
- A building permit is valid for 2 years from issuance. Any permit not finaled or voided within 2 years expires; expired permits must be re-permitted or reactivated before work continues.
- Building code
- Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023.
- Owner-builder
- The owner must personally appear and sign for the exemption. Owner-builder forms track the Florida statutory owner-builder restrictions.
- Contractor requirements
- Contractors must register with Hernando County. Registration requires a current state certified license certificate, liability insurance and workers compensation certificate naming the Hernando County Building Division as certificate holder, and a color copy of current driver's license or identification.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Painting
- Liquid roof coatings
- Roof repairs affecting less than 100 square feet of existing roof covering
- Replacement of existing light fixtures, ceiling fans, receptacles, switches like-for-like
- Replacement of existing faucets, sinks, toilets
- Replacement kitchen cabinets without changing electrical or plumbing configuration
- Residential fences under 7 feet unless supported by brick, block, or concrete columns
- Re-screening existing window screens or screen enclosures
- Same-type, same-location water heater changeouts
Important: Exempt work must still comply with minimum code standards and county zoning setback requirements.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- bldg@hernandocounty.us (email)
- 352-754-4050 (phone)
- Contractor Portal (registered contractors) (online)
- Inspection hours
- Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM; lobby hours 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Typical inspection sequence: Notice of Commencement must be recorded and posted before the first inspection when applicable.
Additional Resources
- Building code: Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023.
- Owner-builder rules: View rules
- State Certified Contractor Registration Form
- Residential Exempt Work List
- Private Provider Program
- Florida Building Code Homepage
- Florida Statutes section 553.73
- License lookup guide: Florida Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Florida Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Florida hub: Florida Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Hernando County Building Division before applying.
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